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    Work & Careers

    Workplace

    Yesterday

    The NTEU says not paying academics for responding to student emails outside of work hours is inconsistent with the right to disconnect laws.

    Academics seek pay for emails out of hours

    A major union is using Labor’s new right to disconnect laws to scrap a “common practice” where casual academics do not get separately paid to be contacted outside of hours.

    • David Marin-Guzman

    How much fun should you have at work?

    Jokes at work need to be deployed with skill and care. Yet, the best are glorious and the working world would be a far better place if we had a great deal more of them.

    • Pilita Clark
    ACCI says “flexibility and choice” must be core to the right to disconnect.

    Employers back worker ‘choice’ in right to disconnect battle

    The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has warned against strict rights to disconnect in awards, saying it could affect enthusiastic staff.

    • David Marin-Guzman

    This Month

    Sephora’s head of HR claimed she guessed the union was “too busy” to negotiate with it.

    Call to change bargaining laws as Sephora ‘sidesteps’ union

    The retail union is pushing the government to change bargaining laws to stop employers from secretly sidelining unions to push through deals behind their back.

    • Updated
    • David Marin-Guzman
    Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

    Budget relief comes on top of ‘decent’ wage rise: Chalmers

    Treasurer Jim Chalmers has fought back against an employer push to use the budget’s cost-of-living relief to lower this year’s minimum wage increase.

    • David Marin-Guzman
    Advertisement
    The Alfama neighbourhood in downtown Lisbon. Portugal is among the countries offering digital nomad visas.

    Countries wooing corporate digital nomads hope to make them stay

    More countries have introduced a form of digital nomad visa since the pandemic increased demand from employees to “work from anywhere”.

    • Emma Agyemang
    The construction industry’s blokey culture initially put off apprentice electrician Courtney Gibney from picking up a trade.

    Why office worker Courtney became a tradie after watching The Block

    Courtney Gibney wanted a hands-on job that didn’t involve sitting at a desk all day. The job security of being a licensed electrician fit the bill.

    • Euan Black
    Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox quoted former union chief Bill Kelty in support of his position.

    Bosses say budget assistance justifies smaller minimum wage increase

    Employers have invoked former union chief Bill Kelty to back a moderate pay rise, saying budget relief ensures low-paid workers’ disposable income will rise.

    • David Marin-Guzman
    Endeavour Energy workers have been taking protected work bans since February.

    Company has rare win over work bans that jacked up its power bill

    Agribusiness giant Manildra has won orders to stop Endeavour Energy workers’ long-running industrial action after arguing it would cost millions of dollars in extra electricity costs.

    • Updated
    • David Marin-Guzman

    Westpac brings back time sheets for salaried staff up to $140k

    Time recording for high-earners is becoming the new norm in the finance sector as firms guard against underpayments from excessive overtime. But some white-collar workers “hate it”.

    • David Marin-Guzman
    A crowd of about 30 to 40 men in CFMEU-branded clothing at the Centenary Bridge Upgrade site on May 14.

    CFMEU blockade ‘drives up costs’ on state project

    An allegedly illegal CFMEU blockade has cost a Queensland infrastructure project $300,000 and will cause weeks of delays, according to the principal contractor.

    • David Marin-Guzman
    Declining job vacancies and rising living costs mean employees who may have chosen to leave jobs are holding on to them.

    Why it’s harder to sack bad workers

    HR managers say they are finding it increasingly difficult to dismiss employees even when they have fair and valid reasons because of provisions protecting staff who exercise workplace rights.

    • Euan Black
    Aldi workers’ rejection of the company’s proposed agreement was globally significant, the union said.

    The union movement is about to break into Aldi

    Aldi’s long history of non-union pay deals has been disrupted as workers reject the supermarket giant’s offer for the first time in decades.

    • David Marin-Guzman
    Grant Thornton senior manager Priscilla Ly says she’s proud of her employer for introducing a nine-day fortnight.

    Grant Thornton adopts nine-day fortnight, but staff have to earn it

    The accounting firm’s year-long trial coincided with record productivity, employee retention and profits.

    • Euan Black
    Aged care unions rejected government concerns a large pay rise for the sector could fuel labour shortages elsewhere.

    Aged care providers back delaying pay rises

    Aged care employers have supported the government’s proposal to phase-in aged care pay rises, clashing with unions who are demanding the full rise by July 1.

    • David Marin-Guzman
    Advertisement
    Dozens of men have more than five separate domestic violence victims each.

    Domestic violence is also a workplace issue

    Governments should take the lead on the problem, but other groups can do more, including employers. Companies can achieve much more than many imagine.

    • Pilita Clark
    The CFMEU marching on Labour Day in Queensland.

    CFMEU in ‘open defiance’ of the law: judges

    Federal Court judges said the CFMEU “simply regards itself as free to disobey the law” and 25 years of fines have done nothing to stop it.

    • David Marin-Guzman
    Productivity is often measured in activity, but transactional-type activities can be delegated to AI.

    A glimpse into the work day of 2034

    The workplace of 2034 will be more dynamic and collaborative than simply looking busy when you sense the boss approaching.

    Sponsored 

    by Slack

    In the future AI will handle routine tasks, allowing humans to focus on leveraging their expertise, creativity, and relationships.

    First movers already embracing the power of AI

    At the coalface of AI adoption, pioneering companies across industries ranging from software behemoths to nimble crane drivers are setting the pace for the future of work.

    Sponsored 

    by Slack

    Taking time to focus on “deep work” or on a single task without distractions – boosts productivity and often yields better, higher quality work.

    Businesses have fresh imperatives to leverage AI in the workplace

    Taking time to focus on “deep work” or on a single task without distractions – boosts productivity and often yields better, higher quality work.

    Sponsored 

    by Slack

    The Australian Financial Review Magazine

    BOSS Financial Review

    Kmart and Target managing director Ian Bailey: “The journey we’ve been on for many years is really moving from being a retailer to being a product company.”

    Life & Leisure

    The Eastern & Oriental Express passes through the landscapes of Malaysia.

    Rich List